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5 Rules Of Employment Follow-Up – 3/18/2014

Follow five tips to increase your chances of getting hired.

Whether you’re waiting to renew your driver’s license at the DMV, waiting to have a cavity filled at the dentist’s office, or waiting for a potential employer to contact you for a job interview, one thing is certain: waiting is never much fun. Fortunately—at least in the last scenario—there are a few things you can do to lessen your discomfort. Consider these five rules of employment follow-up and take control of the waiting game.

1. Rule out SPAM filters and misplaced mail.

Uncertainty causes much of the anxiety we associate with waiting. Did the hiring manager even get that email with my resume? Did the USPS misplace the envelope? Did my application get lost somewhere out there in the Internet? You can answer all of these questions with a simple phone call. If you have the hiring manager’s contact information, reach out to him or her directly. Otherwise, contact the administration department of the hospital or front desk of the clinic and ask to be connected with anyone who can provide the necessary verification.

2. Ask about the hiring process.

Different healthcare organizations have different hiring processes. Some use applicant-tracking software (extending the time it takes for your information to work its way into human hands). Some have entire departments devoted to recruiting, screening, and hiring staff (a faster process), while others rely on department managers, the practice manager, or even one of their physicians to handle resume review (an understandably slower process). When you confirm the receipt of your resume, ask when you can expect to learn about next steps—and then stop worrying.

3. Look for changes.

Sometimes hiring managers make changes to posted job descriptions. They may do so because they realize the original post didn’t fully cover the requirements of the healthcare job or because their posting isn’t attracting the ideal doctor, nurse, or allied health candidate. Use these changes as an opportunity to connect. For example, you may notice that the list of requirements for a clinical dietitian job now includes “24 months of previous practice experience.” If you’ve been working as a dietician for two years, contact the employer and let the hiring manager know you are still a match for their facility’s needs.

4. Keep your communications positive.

Searching for a new healthcare job can be frustrating, especially if you’ve spent a good deal of time submitting resumes without any response. Unfortunately, the quickest way to destroy your chance of obtaining new employment is to reveal that frustration in an email or phone call. Whenever you contact the hiring manager or anyone else who works at the practice or hospital you’re pursuing, keep your tone polite and your message positive.

5. Practice persistence.

If you’ve applied for a physician assistant, coder, or registered nurse position and have yet to receive an interview request or a rejection letter, you might assume the hiring manager has selected another professional. However, don’t give up until you know for certain. The hiring manager may have been too busy to reach out to candidates or has perhaps postponed filling the job due to budgetary constraints. Whatever the reason, polite, positive yet persistent follow-up will improve your chances of landing at the top of the list when the employer is ready to hire.